Oninaki

Death is not an ending here; it is a social duty, a source of guilt, and the force that shapes every conflict. Oninaki follows Kagachi, a young Watcher charged with guiding stranded souls toward reincarnation while protecting the Living World from the damage their unresolved pain creates. Its melancholic fantasy setting moves between a colorful physical realm and the eerie Beyond, where memories, regrets, and hostile spirits take tangible form. The story leans hard into grief and loss, giving this anime-styled action RPG a more somber tone than its bright visuals first suggest.

Kagachi fights in real time, cutting through enemies with weapons granted by Daemons: powerful spirits he can bind and summon in battle. Each Daemon changes his combat style, from swift sword strikes and ranged attacks to heavy axes, spears, and other specialized loadouts, while skill trees let players refine preferred abilities and passive bonuses. Combat revolves around dodging, chaining attacks, building gauge power, and shifting into enhanced states that make a chosen Daemon especially destructive. Outside combat, players travel through story-led regions, investigate the reasons souls remain trapped, collect equipment, and swap Daemons to handle different enemy behaviors; the adventure is entirely single-player rather than a co-op loot grind.

What separates Oninaki from many action RPGs is its emotional framework: enemies and quests often tie back to personal tragedies instead of existing solely as targets for experience points. The contrast between the lush Living World and the spectral Beyond gives exploration a strong visual identity, while Daemon swapping provides more flexibility than a fixed-class system. Its pacing and dungeon structure can feel straightforward, and the narrative’s heavy melodrama will not suit everyone, but players who enjoy the reflective tone of classic Japanese RPGs alongside Diablo-style combat should find plenty to like. Fans of Tokyo RPG Factory’s I Am Setsuna and Lost Sphear, or anyone wanting an approachable anime action RPG with a darker heart, are the natural audience.